Guttentag Cape Town, Frankfurt calling!

Lucky Cape Town! German carrier Lufthansa will now be flying direct non-stop routes between Cape Town to Frankfurt. Yes, that means that those of you based in Cape Town will no longer need to stop off in Jozi, but only from 2 December.

Flights will depart from Frankfurt every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday to the delight of German and South African travellers alike. Bookings for these flights are available from Friday, 27 May 2016, either through the Lufthansa website, or through travel agents.

Lufthansa A340-300

Lufthansa currently operates a year-round daily flight between Frankfurt and Johannesburg with the Boeing 747-8, the next generation of the iconic Jumbo jet, the longest passenger aircraft in the world. In addition, Swiss International Airlines serves Johannesburg from its Zurich base, offering a daily service with an Airbus A340-300. The Cape Town route will be served by a newly retrofitted Airbus A340-300, which boasts over 279 seats and offers the new Intercontinental Business Class (30), new Premium Economy (28) Class and Economy Class (221).

Flight LH576 leaves Lufthansa’s Frankfurt hub at 22:10 and arrives in Cape Town the following morning at 11:00. The return journey departs from Cape Town in the early evening at 18:30 and touches down in Frankfurt the following morning at 05:30, where passengers can access Lufthansa’s entire flight program from its main hub. In total the Lufthansa Group serves 316 destinations in 101 countries from its hubs in Germany, Switzerland and Austria.

Lufthansa’s Onboard Product

Launched just over two years ago, Lufthansa’s newest cabin service has already become a benchmark in quality and service for passengers interested in upgrading their travel experience. The new cabin service offers a seat pitch that is up to three centimetres wider, depending on the type of aircraft. The separate wide armrest for each seat and the centre console between the seats ensure extra privacy and a total of about 10 centimetres more space to the side. The seat back can be tilted further and the seat spacing is much more generous at 38 inches (97 centimetres). The adjustable headrest can be folded at the sides to give comfort and support. Premium Economy also offers leg support and foot rests.

Premium Economy passengers can also expect an upgraded inflight entertainment experience. They can control the extensive entertainment programme using their own touch-screen with a screen size from 11 to 12 inches (28 to 30 centimetres). In addition, each seat offers a USB port and an electrical outlet so passengers can use their own devices. A diverse selection of newspapers and magazines complement the diverse entertainment programme. With two pieces of luggage of up to 23kg, each passenger has twice as much free baggage allowance as the standard Economy Class allowance. For a surcharge of 25 Euros, passengers also have the opportunity to enjoy the amenities of many Lufthansa Business Lounges before their flight. Access to the Welcome Lounge in Frankfurt is available at 50 Euros.

Lufthansa has transformed its Business Class in the last few years, Lufthansa Business Class passengers flying to and from South Africa can look forward to a completely new service on board long-haul flights. Flight attendants have adapted their service to provide an even more personalised experience to reflect the service found in a high-end restaurant. After flight attendants have welcomed guests on board in person and by name, they will take their orders and set the table with ceramic crockery. Meals are then served directly from the galley so trays and flight trolleys are replaced by service plates.

The new route at a glanceFrankfurt – Cape Town (South Africa)

Airports/3 letter code/ time zone (Winter)

Frankfurt, Terminal 1 (FRA); world time +01:00 hourCape Town International Airport (CPT); world time +02:00 hours